Never lost,
yet i find again
Touches me by,
dewdrops remain
Some angry sky,
and earth serene
That takes me far,
and loves again

I am reminded of my silent voice
hushed away by songs from the gentle night
i see some pearls, perhaps of great price
they wet my burning eyes, and vanish out of sight


beneath the fiery breath of crying ice
melts a river flowing through the beastly heart
flooding, what once seemed a road in disguise
taking me along, dragging me apart


i welcome the dry lands i encounter in my way
with genuine smile and gratitude in my heart
the part of me i long for, there should stay
i sway and kiss it, and return to the silent part.

pyar wo beej hai

प्यार कभी एकतरफा होता है न होगा
कहा  था  मैंने
दो  रूहों  की  एक  मिलन  की  जुड़वां  पैदाइश  है  यह
प्यार  अकेला  जी  नहीं  सकता
जीता  है  तो  दो  लोगों  में
मरता  है  तो  दो  मरते  हैं

प्यार  एक  बहता  दरिया  है
झील  नहीं  की  जिसको  किनारे  बाँध  के  बैठे  रहते  हैं
सागर  भी  नहीं  की  जिसका  किनारा  होता  नहीं
बस  दरिया  है  और  बहता  है
दरिया  जैसे  चढ़  जाता  है , ढल  जाता  है
चढ़ना  ढालना  प्यार  में  वो  सब  होता  है
पानी  की  आदत  है  ऊपर  से  नीचे  की  जानिब  बहना
नीचे  से  फिर  भागती  सूरत  ऊपर  उठाना 
बादल  बन  आकाश  में  बहना
कांपने  लगता  है  जब  तेज़  हवाएं  छेड़ें
बूँद  बूँद  बरस  जाता  है

प्यार  एक  जिस्म  के  साज़  पे  बहती  बूँद  नहीं  है
न  मंदिर  की  आरती  है  न  पूजा  है
प्यार  नफा  है  न  लालच  है
न  लाभ  न  हानि  कोई
प्यार  ऐलान  है  अहसान  है  न  कोई  जंग  की  जीत  है  यह
न  ही  हुनर  है  न  ही  इनाम  न  रिवाज़  न रीत  है  यह
यह  रहम  नहीं  यह  दान  नहीं
यह  बीज  नहीं  जो  बीज  सके
खुशबू  है  मगर  यह  खुशबू  की  पहचान  नहीं

दर्द  दिलासे  शक  विश्वास  जूनून  और  होश -ओ -हवास  की  एक  अहसास  के  कोख  से
पैदा  हुआ  है
एक  रिश्ता  है  यह
यह  सम्बन्ध  है  -
दो  जानो का  दो  रूहों  का  पहचानों  का
पैदा  होता  है  बढ़ता  है  यह
बूढा  होता  नहीं

मिटटी  में  पले  एक  दर्द  की  ठंडी  धुप  तले
जड़  और  तर  की  फसल
कटती   है
मगर  यह  बंटती  नहीं
मट्टी  और  पानी  और  हवा  कुछ  रौशनी  और  तारीकी  कुछ
जब  बीज  की  आँख  में  झांकते  हैं
तब  पौधा  गर्दन  ऊंची  करके
मूंह  नाक  नज़र  दिखलाता  है
पौधे  के  पत्ते  पत्ते  पर  कुछ  प्रश्न  भी  है  उत्तर  भी

किस  मिटटी  की  कोख  थी  वोह
किस  मौसम  ने  पाला  पोसा
और  सूरज  का  छिडकाव  किया
की  सिमट  गयीं  शाखें  उसकी

कुछ  पत्तों  के  चेहरे  ऊपर  हैं
आकाश  की  जानिब  तकते  हैं
कुछ  लटके  हुए  हैं
ग़मगीन  मगर
शाखों  की  रगों  से  बहते  हुए  पानी  से  जुड़े  हैं
मट्टी  के  तले  एक  बीज  से  आकर  पूछते  हैं -

हम  तुम  तो  नहीं
पर  पूछना  है -
तुम  हमसे  हो  या  हम  तुमसे

प्यार  अगर  वो  बीज  है  तो
एक  प्रश्न  भी  है
एक  उत्तर  भी  !
                           -गुलज़ार

 हमने देखी है उन आँखों की मेहेकती खुशबू 

हाथ से छूके इसे रिश्तों का इल्जाम न दो |

सिर्फ एहसास है ये, रूह से महसूस करो 

प्यार को प्यार ही रहनो दो कोई नाम ना दो |

प्यार कोई बोल नहीं, प्यार आवाज़ नहीं 

एक खामोशी है सुनती है कहा कराती है 

ना ये बुझती है ना रुकती है ना ठहरी है कही

नूर की बूंद है सदियों  से बहा  करती है 

सिर्फ एहसास  है ये, रूह से महसूस करो 

प्यार को प्यार ही रहने दो, कोई नाम ना दो 

मुस्कराहट सी खिली रहती है आँखों में कही 

और पलको पे उजाले से छुपे रहते है

होठ कुछ कहते नहीं, कांपते होठो पे मगर  

कितने खामोश से अफसाने रुके रहते है

सिर्फ एहसास है ये, रूह से महसूस करो 

प्यार को प्यार ही रहने दो, कोई नाम ना दो 

हमने  देखी है ...

                                               गुलज़ार 

with tears or smile,

or the moments gone by;

with that heart racing from your sight,

or my colorless empty eyes, 

how do i think of you?

with your moonlit gaze,

or the silence of your eyes;

with those words unsaid,

or the stories denied,

how do i think of you?

with journeys that promised of meet,

or the glimpses, by rain deceived;

with roses so red and lilies so white,

or fading faces and heavy goodbyes,

how do i think of you?

You are beautiful,

but there is beauty all around ;

since the Sun tickles the sleepy flowers,

till the Moon up, lulls for all that is down.

You are full of love inside,

tinkering laughter and song and dance ;

and so is the World that lies,

in sorrows so fake and crafty nuance.

You are the thought that lingers away,

brings life to my life and perks to my feet ;

like the glittering sea of Orange dawn,

and a galloping mare in dreamy street.

in the hills, once again i stand,

blue from far, and near green;

a portrait, from nature's hand,

colors, everywhere to be seen.

what, but their beauty does mean,

unless by my angel's eyes, seen!

on the golden sea shore i stroll,

gentle waves wrapping my feet;

the blue sky, as if melts and fall,

like the beloveds meet.

 

the golden sand is, but full of gloom,

i pine for your touch, like burning June!

yet, near me always you are,

in busy streets, and lonely palms;

i try to escape, far and far,

only to find me, in your invisible arms.

seems, i behold that eternal creed

always where, we meet.

few bangles, of wooden chips together glued

hands clutched them tight, flowers and thorns alike

eyes of morning prayer, protrude

she touched God, to make him alright

her feet like a cloud, with darkness-filled

 her sunken cheeks, like a dead volcanoes mouth

clutching a thunderous bolt of love it seemed

she put the flowers and left, with God her thought

the silence of this night is dancing

like the first rain kisses the fluttering leaf.

the rhythm of memories embracing

its stillness, wrapping it in the sweet grief. 

sounds of your laughter sings inside

the trapped life in my heart bleeds away.

somewhere far away, i want them to hide

touched by the absence, kissed by your sway.

back to the ways

His future lay in his heart,

bonded by pain and filled up with void

his eyes saw only the dust,

senses dancing away, as if to avoid

many a times he dipped his hands inside,

the darkness could never be swept away

empty hollow cries came up beside,

he kept watching  soul's foul play

sunrise and sunset, seawaves and blue sky,

came and went, along with his life

answers sometimes but, passed him by,

and yet again he continued his strife.

Two Roses

I have two roses with me, for you

with petals that say

"your presence touched me as the gentle dew"

I have two roses with me, for you

their color speaks

"wish i could steal them all for you"

I have two roses with me, for you

their fragrance whisper

"i found, and lost my heart with you"

I have two roses with me, for you

few thorns in silence

"pray they are never for you"

Ek Sapno Ka Paudha

Attempting a poem in Hindi for the first time:

मन में एक छोटे बीज को लिए,

मिट्टी का एक टुकड़ा ढूंढ़ता हूँ,

शोणित से अपने सींचने के लिए,

मिट्टी एक टुकड़ा ढूंढता हूँ!

अस्थिर पगों पे उड़ रहा विचलित यौवन,

निरंतर संग्राम कर रहा क्रोधित मन,

तन मन को समर्पित करने के लिए,

मिट्टी का एक टुकड़ा ढूंढता हूँ!

बचपन की टूटी गलियों का दृश्य,

पिता की बलिदानों में मेरा भविष्य,

कुछ नए घर, नयी गलियों को मढने के लिए,

मिट्टी का एक टुकड़ा ढूंढता हूँ!

ह्रदय की ताबूत से सिसकियों ने आवाज दी,

देखो सपनो के रंग, जो अंधेरों में घुल गए,

उन्ही अंधेरों को कहीं दफ़नाने के लिए,

मिट्टी का एक टुकड़ा ढूंढता हूँ!

A fistful of life

A fistful of life is all that i have,
i have not set myself free yet.

the fire inside awaits its manifestation,
its heat melts my frozen blood each day,
they are yet to engulf the fear that prevails,
they are yet to light the awakening lamp.

the eyes search for that colorful morning sparkle,
a thousand lights of freedom glows in them,
and the pride adorns the ill body,
the heart is cleansed with truth.

the spirit of revolution i ask for,
false belief do not blind which,
strength of courage never fails where,
the self, my ultimate guide.

A fistful of life is all that i have,
and free i will be, one day.

A Prayer

This month has been somewhat busy. To turn the number of blogs posted this month into a plural one, i am putting up a prayer song. This has remained, consciously or subconsciously, a part of my prayers.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

—– St. Francis of Assisi

And i am about to complete another orbit of sun quite soon. Excited!

When I look back

will they be my own?

the path i took,

perhaps lonely and tiring.

or charming and serene.

or dusty and rough.

the steps i chose,

big, or small.

right, or wrong.

to success, or failure.

those who met in between,

of blood, and others.

some etched in memories.

some in heart.

dreams that lit the eyes,

and fuelled the journey.

silly, or larger-than-life.

some fulfilled, some remained dreams.

milestones i left,

trivial, or great.

born out of triumph, or disaster.

to be followed, or discarded.

but all mine.

Where are those eyes

where are those eyes
never imagined the future which
blind to the imperfections around
unbound joy twinkled where

cried when the rain melted his mud house
laughed when a dog ate his report card
grief was a stranger to whom
whose desires ended at an ice cream

everything a possibility who saw
imagination was whose cosmos
guarded whom a colorful fort of bliss
intentions softer than the snow were whose

never wanted flowers and fairies his paradise
only someone with those same eyes
which dreamed alike
and smiled together

I am India

I am India
I was known as a mystic land
I was known as the 'Golden bird'
I was known as the the 'Universal teacher'

I am India
I have changed my boundaries many times
I had wise men in my cradle
I had mighty sons of the past

I am India
My children were lost for sometime
My chastity was stained time and again
My ascent was in chains for long

I am India
I freed myself once again
I started my journey once again
I made them hear my loud footsteps

I am India
My children are stronger yet again
My veins have new blood
My spirit is soaring once more

I am india
I will not stop come what may
I have faith in my children
I know what they are made of

I am India
You will hear more about me
You will see more of me
You will know the teacher once again

I am India

Being me

I adore my life

I have no points to loose in a share market

Nor do i suck-up to my boss for a promotion

Only a few hungry faces waiting back.

I adore my life

I cannot complain of being taken for granted

Nor is waking up early morning a tough task for me

Thanks to my pain from the last evening.

I adore my life

I do not have to face any break-ups

Nor do I know of any mind games that you all play

The one i love, loves all that i earn.

I adore my life

I do not have to pretend a fake laugh many times

Nor do the vanity talks of pretty faces interests me

My beauty and happiness lies in my kids' full stomach.

I adore my life

I do not get depressed for not being ahead always

Nor do i get intimidated of someone making it big

There is hardly any competition for me.

I adore my life

I do not have to compromise my self-respect

Nor do i need to worry about any guilts

For i know, God must be in shame looking at me.

Gudnyt J!

Happyness

In the Mother's eyes

on seeing her child

In the Farmer's pride

on seeing his harvest

In the Teacher's glory

on seeing his disciple pass ahead

In the Musician's soul

on seeing his instrument

In the Mountaineer's veins

on seeing the peak

In the Warrior's honour

on seeing his nation's flag high

In the Leader's dignity

on seeing his team succeed

In the Winner's self respect

on seeing his pains pay-off

In the Lover's heart and his tears

on seeing a lost beloved

Sometimes

Sometimes when the flowers bloom

and the raindrops kisses my cheek

The distant sun is about to say goodbyes

the sea is calm and the waves are weak.

Sometimes when the night is cold

and the stars peek down

The moon is lost

As if covered in his gown!

Sometimes when i walk past the lonely roads

the silence following me

My shadow is alone

asking, where is she!

Sometimes when the road ahead is blurred

and the darkness bleak

and the fear pulls me back

and makes me weak.

Sometimes

i wish, you were with me!